"It is alright to shift blame at times."

"Then what is the truth?!" The prime minister bellowed.

"Was the letter that my daughter wrote on her deathbed a hoax? Was the pain false?" The prime minister questioned, more like accused Satkritah who bowed his head.

Under the accusation and pain of a father, the court went still or perhaps it was yet another dramatics to add flair to the show ahead.

"The witness, she was the maid of my wife and was dismissed from the household; she is bound to have enmity with our family. Your majesty, please look for someone with a neutral background." The gruff voice of Satkritah croaked. It had a speck of defeat in it but that was too obscure to be noted.

My gaze retracted back to my father who sat there, his brows furrowed and palms resting on the hand rest. For a nimesh, his lips pursed before he turned to the head investigator.

"Does the accusing party have any more proof except this maid?" He questioned.

"Your Majesty, the maid is the only witness. Please grant us a few days more for further investigation." The investigator pleaded, resulting in a series of murmurs trying to speculate the outcome of this case.

"Silence!" My father ordered and sighed. "I understand the case is a sensitive one and requires thorough investigation but the justice can not be delayed. The investigators are allotted an extension of two days to come up with more proof."

His decision was final, I crinkled my brows at the peculiar decision but neither the place nor time allowed me to put up my query just yet.

The rest of the court time was blurred out with every flutter of my eyes trying to stop myself from looking in the direction where Poornima was standing. My breathing felt ragged and my fingers twisted beneath the fleece of my dupatta. The court proceedings and chatter met with deaf ears, that were too busy to comprehend words, lies.

The face of Dviti intermixed with that of Satkritah creating a similarity of a convict and a victim. Both were decked with bruises, one apparent to eyes while the other, a vague reality shrouded by myths.

The time was moving faster than usual, slower than usual or was that me because rest seemed unaffected, unbothered by the waves of emotions crashing on my conscience.

By the time the court was dismissed, my palms were wet with my silent tears washing onto the wounds that my nails inflicted while digging onto them.

"I pity Nityasha, didn't even get a last glimpse of her sister." I heard a muffled chatter amongst the departing footsteps.

"Poor girl must be despondent after the loss. Both mother and daughter were missing." Another voice gossiped.

"Pity the entire residence." Someone sighed and amongst all this one thing was clear, I wasn't the only one feeling the pain of loss. The spectrum of pain was evident and I happened to be in a darker shade of it.

"Rajkumari, it is about time we leave." Sugdha ushered me from my thoughts, making me realise that the hall was empty with not a single sound to be heard. The throne stood vacant but the power yet incapability it held made me shake my head.

With silent affirmation, I stood up and gave a last glance to the vacant room of powerplay and deceit before walking back to the room. The curtains of the room fluttered due to the warm noon breeze and the sunlight trickled in the dark corners, lighting the place up.

The sound of children playing was faintly heard in the corridors but mostly it was filled with the susurrate of gossip that transpired in the court. Hushed whispers, as always marked their presence but for this case, was not a simple one. Eyes of pity were discreetly cast at me; only a few were genuine. It didn't bother me anymore, I had gotten used to it so I walked unperturbed only stopping when I reached my destination.

With parted curtains and parrot squawking, the ambience looked fairly usual except on a single peculiarity. Lekha kaki, the head maid of my mother, was standing there, waiting for me.

"Pranipat Rajkumari." She smiled at me and handed me a scroll with a seal shaped like a rose, the insignia of my mother. Gingerly, I opened the scroll and read the content written on it which almost made me scowl.

"Kaki, can I meet my mother?" I queried with my eyes fixated on the scroll. Written in sharp strokes, the writing was unquestionably that of my mother but the commands on it were a bit perplexing.

"Your mother is busy today Rajkumari, considering the unfortunate events..." She trailed in an attempt to deny me but before she could I held her hand, stopping her. "Perhaps tomorrow?"

"I am grateful kaki." I muttered with teary eyes.

"Rajkumari," She cupped my cheek, a right she gained after serving my mother for this long and continued, "Whatever your mother is doing is for your own good and I know, you are aware of it."

Gulping the lump forming in my throat, almost choking with my own words, I nodded. My eyes silently shed tears and a sniffle threatened to escape under her warm touch and all emotions were bare naked.

"Kaki, is it necessary to do this now? I am not in the best condition." I croaked out, wiping my tears and she shook her head in denial.

"Consider it as a test, Rajkumari." She replied, with a soft comforting smile that I wished came from my mother who was occupied dealing with the unknown. "The maids would prepare you."

Saying this, she left me, letting the maids do their job which turned even more challenging with the clouds of gloom looming on my countenance.

"Rajkumari, you would need to smile." Sugdha reminded me with hushed tones while arranging my jewellery.

"This doesn't make sense, Sugdha." I sighed, my voice turned a bit hoarse with all this crying.

"It is just a painting." She answered while applying rouge on my lips, giving my chapped and colourless lips a healthy pink shade. The khol smeared on my eyes gave them a lively look despite a faint reddish hue at the tips and the pearl powder on my skin added a glow to it.

"Which could be painted some other day." I answered and looked away from my reflection which made me feel melancholic.

"Your mother never takes any unnecessary steps." She answered while arranging the pleats of my dress.

"Why can't she be a little understanding?" I tried not to sniffle but the vulnerability was peeking at my face along with despondency.

"She is, just in a different way." She smacked her lips while doing the task in her hand. In response, I just hummed and let them do their work while I sat there getting all dolled up. Multiple times during these moments I reminded myself to forget things, not get involved but it was clear that my mind was enticed by reliving the last few days that were obscure yet clear to me.

"Are we done?" I breathed out, feeling exhausted and blinked my eyes multiple times in an attempt to wet my eyes that felt dry after crying so much.

"Yes, we are done." She answered after tucking my hair behind my ears and pinning them securely with an ornament. "Try not to get close to bushes, they might ruin your attire."

"I know, I have learnt it the hard way." I acknowledged her warning with my lips pursed, trying to smile and stood up to leave. "Don't you think drawing a portrait in the garden is quite peculiar?"

"It is but this time it was Shreeman Aniishwara who demanded so. Your mother is not to be blamed for this choice." Sugdha followed my step that led to the garden, helping with my clothes from behind.

"He is a bizarre man."

"That he is but his work is considered to be the finest." Sugdha reminded me, still following me like the shadow she once promised to be.

Two girls in the garden were busy making the flower wreath; chiming along the birds were their laughter. One was now just a memory while the other was me. Hidden in the shadow of the mango tree was the other girl who was collecting flowers for us. She was there helping us but at the same time weaving her own set of dreams.

"I would be the step for you to reach your goal, your majesty." The girl beside me promised with a solemn before bursting into a series of laughter.

"Sure Nurvi, my best advisor." I chuckled but my sentence somehow perturbed the other girl.

"If she would be the step then who would I be?" The girl scrunched her face, voicing out her worry.

"You already stay beside Rajkumari almost the entire day. Can't I be her helper too?" Nurvi reprimanded Sugdha and shifted closer to me as if marking her claim.

"Exactly the reason I am closer to Rajku-"

"Okay stop!" I chuckled at the bickering girls and huffed. "Both are close to me. Since Nurvi has selected her post, Sugdha will be my shadow and protect me. Would you take this role, Sugdha?"

Happily, the girl nodded and we continued making the flower crowns.

"Rajkumari we are here." Sugdha nudged me out of my thoughts and guided me on the walk to a familiar place, a place that held many scared memories and a mango tree where the giggles of three chirpy girls still resonate.

The fogs of the past parted and my breath started getting hitched, behind the tree lay my haven and beneath the tree was the abode of sweet memories. Three girls, two remain while one got swept away.

"Pranipat Rajkumari." Shreeman Aniishwara spoke while arranging his equipments. His eyes were minutely scanning the area, absorbing every detail that he could muster while his hands drew patterns in the air.

"Pranipat." I answered and waited for him to spare his attention back to me which was soon given when he was done with his arrangements.

"Please stand over there Rajkumari." Shreeman Aniishvara gestured at the platform underneath the tree. I nodded and with the help of Sugdha and a female helper of Shreeman, successfully climbed on the platform. Though I wobbled a little due to the weight of the jewellery, Sugdha's support steadied me from falling.

"Rajkumari, is it comfortable?" Sugdha enquired while arranging my attire from beneath that seemed to have tousled after climbing up.

"Yes" I breathed out and held the trunk of the tree to steady my foot on the platform. Then I turned to face Shreeman Aniishwara for guidance on my posture.

He pressed his lips together and bit on them before whispering something to the female attendant. Following the steps of her master, the woman helped me with the alignment and posture.

Pressed against the trunk of the tree, I stood tall. My dupatta fluttered against the Zephyr that caressed my face and under the shadows I witnessed the sun playing an odd game of hide and seek with the clouds.

There was silence, utter silence that even the strokes of the brush was audible. A thin layer of sweat covered my forehead but thankfully it was not enough to brush away pearl powder off my face. I adjusted my waist to stop the ache due to the odd angle I was standing in; earning a tsk from Shreeman Aniishwara who ripped away yet another canvas.

"Let's wrap it up for today." I pleaded, trying not to wince due to the sharp pain. After standing for so long I sighed, looking at the sun that had almost reached the west point; indicating the arrival of evening.

"Yes, of course, it would soon be dark. Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to get a correct canvas for you." Shreeman cleaned his hand with water while speaking this.

"Correct canvas?" I questioned, trying not to groan while descending the platform with the help of Sugdha.

"Yes, a scene like this and eyes like Rajkumari, the fault must be in the canvas." He answered, earning a confused look from me. Seeing me evidently perplexed in the web of his words he shook his head and collected his paint.

"It is alright to shift blame at times." He replied before turning around and leaving, letting his apprentices collect the paint and mess he created.

I stood there and smiled, a genuine smile and sighed. He is indeed bizarre but perhaps it was his age that gave him the wisdom that many can't comprehend, shifting the blame to him being peculiar.

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Hello readers! So here is the 20th update finally!!!

*takes a breathe of relief*

This month me and my hand were kinda in a brawl so late update. Blame it on my hand not me.

So how was the chapter?

During this long break were you able to solve the mysteries? I have already given easter eggs.

And byes till next update!